Invisible Hands

In this talk, we explore how algorithms and digital platforms are reshaping job security in the UK. From delivery apps to online task platforms, software is increasingly determining who gets work, how much they earn, and whether they remain “active” at all. Yet these systems often operate with little transparency, leaving workers unsure where they stand or how decisions are made.

Drawing on my behind-the-scenes research about how the EU made these digital rules, this talk explores a simple question: Who governs the digital world in Europe? It shows how power over the digital world is increasingly shared, contested, and decentralised. I invite us all to see ourselves not as passive users of technology, but as participants in a global network of political choices that reach from our social media screens to the decision-makers in private and public institutions.

This study finds that mutual fund awards can be misleading. Analysing China's prestigious Golden Bull Awards, we show that while winning attracts a surge of investor money and allows funds to charge higher fees, it actually leads to worse future performance. The reason is overconfidence: managers who receive awards start trading more aggressively, particularly by selling stocks too frequently, which erodes returns. The more awards a fund wins, the stronger this negative effect becomes. Ultimately, awards act as a powerful marketing tool that benefits the fund company but harms investors, who chase past recognition only to see their returns suffer.